pandoracrowned-blog

[pandoracrowned-blog]

alistairxremes‌:

Alistair knew that their ties to Bergia were not always the strongest but he actively sought to strengthen them, and his husband and Pandora had a flourishing friendship. As he had taken it upon himself to visit the other monarch, and express his wishes of getting well soon. He knew of the tragic, and terrifying experience the other had. Beside that he wanted to make sure they were all doing alright as well. “I was merely saying I am glad you look so well after your ordeal, and that I hope you family is fairing well after the storms.” the king said giving the other a bow. “I brought you a token of my well wishes.” he said holding out a bottle of Valtolian Honey Liquor. 

PANDORA WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT IT WAS ALISTAIR not antonin who had come to visit the queen after the events that transpired. pandora never really been as close to the king of valtolia as he had been to their queen. antonin and pandora had been together when the rough waters split them up and it was truly the last time they had seen one another. however it was nice to see that alistair was kind enough to visit him personally. “y-yes, you’re quite kind. my family fares well. we could be better, but time heals the wounds our mages cannot. how has antonin been?”

[pandoracrowned-blog]

princesstobin‌:

To say Tobin was thoroughly freaked out by his encounter with the Valtolian mage was an understatement. He’d never really had the feeling of someone threatening him in his life. After all, he was the princess, the precious son who managed to survive despite the odds. No one close to the family would dare try to hurt or scare the young prince.

As soon as he got back into the palace, he raced to find his mother. “Mama!” he cried out when he finally found Pandora, and raised to press his face to the other’s chest – shaking slightly. “There was a scary mage outside.”

@pandoracrowned

PANDORA DIDN’T LIKE TOBIN OUTSIDE CASTLE FOR MUCH OF ANYTHING and hearing his youngest come rushing to his side, flinging his body into the queen’s. pandora knew what his children were like having spent a great deal of time with them during formative years. he knew when elliot was lying, he knew when gabriel was overthinking, when dane felt guilty, henri and his machinations, and with tobin, his only princess, nothing escaped him.

“a scary mage? what do you mean?” pandora looked down at the youngest pryor, stroking the soft brown tresses, doing his best to console the princess, knowing that if he continued to get worked up, his ailment could flare up. if this was a mage issue, the queen would get dmitri on it immediately. “what was his name? did he hurt you?”

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

prince--elliot‌:

Elliot couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept this much. It was as though he was getting even for all the sleepless nights away from home on the field. Or maybe it was more the fact that he’d done nothing but sit in his room and get drunk since he returned home.

Regardless, Elliot was a very heavy sleeper, and it would usually take a lot to wake him. But for some reason, the sound of his mother’s voice was enough to bring him back from his dreams. His bedchamber was a mess to say the least. Even the windows were covered with sheets and blankets to hide the sun. And in the middle of this mess laid Elliot, the covers strewn haphazadrly over his sleeping figure. “Mmmm…later Mommy…” He said, groaning in his tired voice.

The clothes Elliot was sleeping in seemed a bit too small on him, and as he stretched in his bed the sound of the fabric tearing around his arms and body was actually audible. With his eyes closed he reached out to grab his mother. “Coooome…”

WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER, THE BOY COULD EASILY CONVINCE PANDORA that he needed just a few more minutes of sleep before waking up. pandora always babied his children a bit more than zeke ever did, but he always knew that it was that level of nurturing that would balance out the rugged nature that zeke employed. hopefully while they were down in the dining room eating, pandora could send someone up to take care of this mess elliot had created.

“not later, my boy. now. breakfast is being served and tobin and i picked fresh berries yesterday for your favorite waffles.” pandora teased, moving closer to the bed which was in perfect arms reach for elliot to grab the queen in his sleepy haze. the joy of having all his boys under one roof brought a smile to the queen’s face as he relaxed in bed with his youngest prince. he could spare five minutes. “did you miss, mommy?” 💎

[pandoracrowned-blog]

kingofbergia‌:

crownedsolomon‌:

Eyes turned to watch as the guards left, but that didn’t ease his nervousness - no, if anything it made him even more nervous, because now he was in the presence of the two Bergian royals. The guards had acted as a buffer of sorts, and now he had would have to have their audience all to himself. Taking a deep breath, the Sollian prince gave a nod at the estimations of both the King and Queen, a soft smile teasing his lips. It wasn’t a surprise, really, that they would have seen - or at least heard about - his date with Henri, given the fact that nobles were aflame with gossip of the pair and they were wondering if another wedding was in the works, but that didn’t mean it didn’t make him any less nervous.

“Indeed it is… Henri is a wonderful man, one that I’ve found myself enamored with, and I would like your permission to continue to court him.” Pausing, the crown prince let his hand hang lightly. “I must admit, I’m ashamed that I hadn’t asked this of you prior to the festival, but there had been no time as when I received Henri’s raven asking me to escort him, it was nigh time to depart for Medes.” Lifting his gaze, he look Zeke in the eyes for a few seconds before shifting his gaze to Pandora as well. “But I must say I enjoyed my time with him, and I would like to spend more time with him to see how compatible we are. I believe he may make a great Queen one day, whether mine or another King’s, and I would like the chance to be able to see just what kind of Queen you two have so wonderfully raised.”

@kingofbergia @pandoracrowned

                    ZEKE   LIKED    THAT    SOLOMON    AT    LEAST        requested the king and queen’s permission to go on courting henri, instead of rendezvousing with their son irresponsibly. did he think solomon was a good match for henri? perhaps. solomon was disciplined and dutiful, whereas henri was an untamed spirit that needed to have a firm hand keep him in place as queen. it was more like his son’s personality that worried zeke, in the case that solomon might deem him worthy of becoming sollia’s future queen. as high praise as that position was, he was concerned henri might not be fit to take that title yet. the boy was still so enamored with men, and cared little for bergian politics. he couldn’t imagine henri would ever be interested in upholding the duties of a foreign kingdom if he had been so eager to leave his own princely obligations at home.

❝ he’s still young, ❞ he said. ❝ and has much to learn about behaving like a true prince. ❞ the king was honest, sparing no details in front of solomon. ❝ i’ve always wondered if he would truly fit as a queen. ❞ he had always thought henri would be married off to a noble, but never to a crown prince and ruling his own kingdom. ❝ what do you think, my love? ❞ he asked his queen before he made a decision, the northern king’s tone of voice uncharacteristically soft and gentle for his beloved.

DESPITE THE DISTASTE PANDORA HELD FOR THE THE CROWN PRINCE’S mother, he was still pleased in the traditional approach solomon insisted on doing to gain the approval from the king and queen of the boy he wished to court. pandora knew such act would gain points in zeke’s favor, however the queen was thinking moreso toward the future. with how...close zeke had gotten to henri over the past few months, pandora could have easily seen the king swayed in the favor of blindly supporting a courtship or union that henri himself was clearly seeking. pandora knew of henri’s ways having been around the young prince for far greater periods than zeke and knew when he was manipulating his father. the queen was happy they were getting along but now all the moving pieces were finally starting to make sense. 

“many thoughts run through my mind, most of which can mirror your sentiment. our son has always wanted what has belonged to his mother, even from a young age playing in my closet, trying on my crowns and jewels. it was cute back then.” pandora smiled fondly, as the memories of a young henri getting caught playing dress up in items only befitting of a queen. even then, the robes and crowns were far greater than he could bare. it made sense now why he had been so eager to form this bond with his father, seeing how pandora commanded the king’s ear, sure he would be able to as well. 

“but prince henri has been quite the absentee royal in many of our weekly meetings, neglecting his duties to bergia in favor of his other desires. while this is quite an honor indeed to have your consideration, perhaps the king and i need to discuss this further.” pandora turned to zeke, reaching out for his hand in solidarity knowing that more in depth discussion would need to be had. more candid and away from the prince before them both. “will you stay in the castle for the meantime? we can set you up in the guest chambers.” 💎

[pandoracrowned-blog]

PANDORA WAS PLEASED TO HAVE THIS MANY OF HIS BOYS BACK HOME, all under the same roof as the family they were meant to be. gabe, dane, elliot, and tobin all were in the castle preparing for the family breakfast that pandora had scheduled. henri was off, galavanting around metia, having received word of elliot’s return though to no avail. perhaps he would arrive later but for now, pandora was intent on wrangling all the boys for the morning meal.

“elliot!” pandora called, stepping into the chambers of his fourth born, looking at the mess that the young prince had already accrued in the few weeks he had been back home. most of it was clothes strew about the chamber floors, a habit he had started in his youth and never grew out of, but there were plenty of empty ale and vodka pitchers littered about. pandora enjoyed a drink as many a queen did in their spare time, but he was still able to function properly. with this new habit of elliot’s, he was beginning to wonder if it would become a problem. “wake up, baby boy! mommy’s waiting.”  

@prince--elliot

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

[pandoracrowned-blog]

oldxraven‌:

                        NO. THE QUEEN WASN’T LISTENING ANYMORE. If it wasn’t for their gems and jewels, everyone else would be more willing to think that them who lived in the north was gifted with a realm far worthy of praise; the cold weather with its biting wind wrought from the gray skies over them—over the vast landscape swathed in lush forests and rolling meadows—had brought some semblance of solemnity. And within the realm are them—stocky men, stoic men, steely men. Men who had lived under shorter days and longer nights. Men who prided themselves on work. Men who prided themselves of strength. Though be as it may, they know. They can be dull. They can be drab. But even Dmitri knew that what he had in his veins is the blood of the mountain—that to realize how the Queen faded into the cloy of his thoughts was not much of a surprise given the circumstances. Bergia wasn’t as vibrant as the other realms—but Bergia is home. And with how the Queen almost lost it all had every right to relish and renew the grasp of the very kingdom that he had given his heart to.

“The supplies, Your Majesty… it would be ready to be transported south to the storm-ravished lands…” the warlock nodded, eyes weighing onto Pandora and the buxom brawn that he had on him—radiant still… but how the events that left their scars on him seemed far more noticeable now that he indulged in the Bergian virtue of some solemn silence. “——— but I could return later if you’d prefer… do you need to rest more?”

THE VOICE OF THEIR LONG TIME MAGE BROUGHT PANDORA BACK to the present, leaving those thoughts that crowded his mind behind...for now. sleeping had become more and more of a struggle for the queen, he had been hoping it would get better once he got back to the castle, but with no such luck. he had never been on such an pendulum as he was now, but he knew if anyone could counsel him through it or at least provide some mystical solution, dmitri would be the one.

“--oh, yes. that’s right. the supplies...that sounds fine. thank you for seeing that through, dmitri.” pandora turned, smiling in appreciation, though it never reached his eyes. he knew it was something that he’d just have to process through, get back to his routine and duties to capture some sense of normalcy. “please, stay. i apologize for not being the best of company. i will say i am a bit shaken up still. i’m recovering, my body is fine...but my mind. thoughts seem to race all the time, nightmares when i sleep, which causes me to not get the rest i need... it’s just a lot. i am glad to have you here. have you been with dane? how is he?”

[pandoracrowned-blog]

northern-wxlf‌:

No one had told Dane about the fate of his mother while his leg was still on the healing. They had told him nothing other than the fact that everyone was a live and fine. After all, most of the royal court knew Dane well. They knew that  should he think something bad had happened to any of his family that he would demand to see them. Of course, after Pandora had not come to check up on him, Dane started to worry. His brothers and father came by. The mages cycled in and out to make sure his bone was setting right but his mother, one of the most caring and protective men Dane had ever known, did not stop by once. That was was odd. That was so unlike him that Dane started to ask questions. He poked at everyone who came by was only told the same thing over and over again. 

That was until a bed maid was helping him up to the washroom and then back to bed. Dane asked of Pandora and was finally told the truth. His mother had almost died. He’d been washed away from shore and missing for long enough that people knew he was missing. Yes, now Pandora was alive but recovering. Dane was livid. Yes, of course he could understand why he was not told but that hardly mattered in the moment. Right now, all Dane knew was that he needed to see his mother. 

He’d ordered his guard to help him dress and get to his parents chambers. It wasn’t to hard to get him there. A bit of pain still lingered in his leg but he could put some weight on it. Thankfully he ended up soon at his mothers chamber doors. Pushing himself off the guard, Dane pressed against the door and forced it open. There was someone else in the room. A mage or something but Dane barely gave them a glance as he looked at Pandora. “Mother.” He felt tears sting his eyes in an instant as he limped over to his were he lay in bed. Grabbed Pandora’s hand tightly, Dane sat down. “Are you alright? Do you need anything? By the gods, no one told me what happened. I- Are you alright?” He asked again. His words a rush of pain and fear for his mother. How close had they truly been to losing Pandora? 

PANDORA’S TRANCE WAS BROKEN NOT BY THE WORDS OF THE MAGE but instead by the sound of his son entering the room, pain in his voice as he choked out his name. it had been the queen’s doing to keep a closed lid on his condition when it was concerning dane. he knew his son, already weighed down with guilt for leaving the castle for so long, he didn’t want him feeling any worse with the thought of not being able to protect his mother. he already went through it enough with zeke, he couldn’t bare allow his children to feel such things.

“oh, my boy, everything is alright... mommy is fine, you’re fine-- don’t cry..” pandora leaned up, pulling dane into his arms as he comforted the boy, welcoming him into his bosom. he wanted dane to feel his beating heart, feel the warm throughout his body, the blood coursing through his veins. pandora was alive, dane was alive. that was the only thing that mattered. “how are you? i feel terrible that i alarmed you and even more that i couldn’t do more to help with your injury.” 💎

[pandoracrowned-blog]

kingofbergia‌:

crownedsolomon·:

After sending a raven to the Bergian royals requesting an audience, Solomon and his traveling party - after doing their part to help their own country rebuild after the tragedy that occurred in the coast - made their way to the cold, mountainous region. It wasn’t long before he was kneeling before the King and the Queen, head bowed to show respect, and it was only after having gotten permission that he rose to his feet.

“I must say that I’m grateful you accepted my request, your majesties, but I shouldn’t be surprised… Bergia has always been a kind and generous host,” Solomon stated, smile teasing his lips. “But if you would mind, I do have something I would like to ask of you and only you.” Eyes shifted to the men in the room - the guards and the servants - before he let his gaze settle upon the King and the Queen. “I would understand if you’d prefer not to, of course, but I would like to request that my only audience is you.”

@kingofbergia @pandoracrowned

                IT   WAS   RATHER    A    SURPRISE    TO        be told that the crown prince of sollia wished to seek an audience with not one of the bergian highnesses, but both. zeke could only guess the ulterior motive of solomon’s visit, but he put those assumptions to rest for the moment. it was a peculiar request, however, to want the king and queen’s guards out of the room, as well. ❝ request granted, only because i am rather fond of you, solomon, ❞ he said, and promptly moved a hand across to dismiss his guards. his men filed out of the throne room until only the loud sound of the door closing signaled their leave.  

when his full attention was on solomon once more, he felt the need to ask. ❝ i’ve seen that you’ve taken a liking to my son, henri. the two of you weren’t exactly discreet at the festival. ❞

@pandoracrowned· @crownedsolomon·  

PANDORA SAT ON THE SIDE, WATCHING THE EXCHANGE GO DOWN curious of the crown prince’s motives in bergia and what exactly he wanted with the king and queen. the last time he saw solomon within castle walls, the young prince had quite the eyeful of the queen in his chambers, viewing the newest arrivals of the bergian beauty’s unmentionables. so much had happened since then, but pandora’s views on sollia, their queen, and their ways hadn’t faltered. not once did he ever imagine such a formal meeting with their crown prince, even more shocked to hear zeke reveal a budding relationship, whatever the extent of it being, with solomon and henri. zeke had never mentioned witnessing this and pandora was far too busy socializing to have noticed such interactions, but it didn’t quell any bubbling suspicions of his husband’s betrayal.

“henri is quite the charmer, prince solomon. though this does come as a surprise for me to hear. are we to presume you’ve asked for this meeting regarding this liking?” 💎

@crownedsolomon​ + @kingofbergia​

[pandoracrowned-blog]

kingofbergia‌:

                      ZEKE,   AS    USUAL,   WAS    BLISSFULLY      unaware of the court talks. he didn’t bother so much with political gossip, and didn’t care for what others had to say behind his back. so pandora’s cold shoulder came across as a surprise to the king, who was under the impression that he hadn’t done anything to warrant such a harsh reception. he didn’t think that pandora was annoyed that he had stayed out too long. zeke would be at his lodge for days at a time and the queen had never been bothered by it before.

the king had the last of his attendants leave the bedchamber until only the two of them remained. the tone of pandora’s voice gave it away that his queen was upset about something that she was trying to lure out of zeke. the question was a strange one, but not one that zeke couldn’t answer honestly. ❝ i’ve been drinking, ❞ he said. he had gotten himself intoxicated to the point that his attendants had to pry the last bottle of rum out of his fingers just so zeke would watch his health. besides that, he couldn’t remember how else he had spent his time on the island. ❝ singing bergian tunes, telling bergian tales, ❞ zeke went on to say. ❝ i’ve shared a word with nobles and other royalty. spent time with solaris, and esca myre, of medes. ❞ he still failed to understand why it mattered, considering most of his interactions had just been construed out of political obligation. he sat and turned his gaze towards pandora’s face, trying to read his wife’s expression, the subtle nuisances in the slightest change of her features. though pandora liked to think herself a sophisticated queen, she was an easy read to zeke. ❝ what’s on your mind, pandora? it isn’t like you to not speak your mind. ❞      

PANDORA HAD NEVER BEEN THE WIFE TO TRY AND TRAP her husband in a lie or trick him into slipping up and lording it over his head. pandora never had to do those things because she trusted zeke 100%. it was trust that was built over the span of twenty years to now, he could easily be in his cabin for days straight and pandora not fear that he was holed up there in the woods with some mistress whore. their marriage was strong, built on understanding and truthfulness, but as he listened to zeke’s run down on the festival, he couldn’t shake the feeling. the sound of solaris’ name always struck a chord, even more now from what the talk of the castle seemed to be.

“you’re right. there is something on my mind and holding onto it does us both a disservice.” the queen explained, sighing deeply through the physical pain she was already experiencing from her accident but there was no way around this. “the servants were talking about that night, how they poured you drink after drink, and the fun you seemed to be having-- fun with sollian queen at your side..on your arm..her flesh in your hands..” pandora’s bit back the way her stomach churned just imagining the sight they claimed to have seen. the two queens have never really seen eye to eye, even before they sat on the throne, their interactions have always been terse. but if this were true, it would raise a lot more questions for the bergian beauty. 

“they even recall seeing her hands on you; on the tattoos you pride yourself on, sacred ink few people even know you have. they seemed to enjoy such gossip and the secrecy of it all but naturally, they didn’t tell me, i heard them speaking about it. care to shed some light on this, my king?” 💎